


Dancing the line between love and hate

by Commonauthor



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Slow Burn, Violence, fluffyangst, mental breakdowns, smut in later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-03-22 08:10:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13759893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Commonauthor/pseuds/Commonauthor
Summary: Batman and Joker are fighting- as usual. But, wrapped up in the moment, punches soon turn into kisses and fighting into something more intimate.The line between love and hate blurs as they enter new territory, but luckily for them they're fast learners.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! The first chapter is only very short because I want to see if people are interested in reading more, if people are then I'll make it into a full length fanfic with longer chapters, but if not I'll just keep it as a short oneshot. Please let me know your thoughts, thanks for reading!

Batman's fist connected with Joker's cheek. The clown fell to the ground, laughing with glee. 

"And a hello to you too Batsy!" Joker giggled as he gazed up at the Dark Knight, his sight spinning slightly from the force of the blow. 

Batman ignored any attempts the other made to engage in conversation, he was tired of having to chase after the clown all night. He tried to get straight to the point with his next few words.

"I'm taking you back to Arkham, Joker." 

Frustration seeped into his stoic voice, his patience wearing thinner the longer he had to look at that smug grin. This was the clown's third big scheme in the last month. Lives had been lost, destruction had been caused and Batman had grown angrier with each passing day that Joker was free. The previous two times he'd managed to effortlessly evade capture, taunting Batman and always remaining one step ahead of him, but not today. 

Joker let out a long laugh. The shrill laughter always managed to send chills down Batman's spine, this time being no exception. He wanted to wipe that grin off of the other's face, beat him until no laughter could escape his bright red mouth. 

"Is that so? I'm sorry to say it darling, but you haven't been up to your usual standards lately. Why, just last week I managed to get away from you without even trying! I was so disappointed, I'd put in all of that work and it was like you weren't even trying to stop me! Batsy dear, I fear you're losing your edge-"

Batman interrupted Joker by punching him square in the face, hard. Pulling his fist back he saw blood gushing from the other man's nose, feeling the satisfaction he always felt when he hurt the other. He knew he shouldn't get gratification from causing someone pain, but it was so hard not to when the other got under his skin in a way none of his other enemies could.

Joker groaned lightly, before going straight back to laughing. His nose was broken, that much was obvious. Not that he minded, he loved the pain, thrived off of it. The thrill it gave him when Batman would lose control and take all of his anger out on him was Joker's own personal drug, and he was always left wanting more.

"There's that rage fuelled violence I've been missing! Perhaps you haven't given up after all!" Joker continued to laugh as he looked up at Batman, enjoying the anger the other was exhibiting. It was so easy to rile up the Bat up, making it all the more fun to do so.

Batman gave a low growl, before jumping on top of the other and pinning his arms above his head. With one hand holding Joker's arms in place, he used the other to grab a pair of hand cuffs from his utility belt, however- before he could cuff the other he had already wriggled out of his grasp and was wielding a knife. 

Joker laughed and laughed as he made blind swings at Batman with the knife, only when he managed to snag Batman's face with it did the other get into action. 

Batman moved as quick as lightning, running on rage fuelled adrenaline as he ripped the knife from out of Joker's grasp and flung it across the rooftop they were on.

Light droplets of rain were pouring around them, the air misty and cool. The rooftop was dark, only being illuminated dimly by moonlight and the few stars visible through the thick smog that always smothered Gotham City. Where they were, no one would be able to see them, or the violent fight unfolding.

They brawled around on the floor, Joker trying to get free and Batman trying to restrain him. The clown managed to get atop the other and landed a pretty hard blow to Batman's jaw. Batman in turn retaliated by kicking Joker's shins, successfully getting the other to fall off of him and back onto the floor.

Throughout all of the hits and punches, Joker kept up his manic laughter, always unsettling and always present. The only times the laughter had ever stopped in the past were when Batman hit Joker so hard that he'd fallen unconscious. 

Batman tried to hit Joker hard enough to do so now, but the other kept managing to dodge his attacks. Although he was lean with a wiry frame, Joker was still very strong. He knew where to aim on a person for it to really hurt, and had enough force to his blows that it managed to even really hurt Batman a few times, despite the protective layers of his suit protecting him.

The fighting continued for a number of minuets, each trying to out manoeuvre the other, landing punches and kicks, flipping each other over and fighting on the floor until they were but a blurred mass of black, purple and green. Tension continued to build as blood continued to be spilled, until suddenly the fighting stopped and turned into something else.

In the heat of the moment, Joker's lipstick smeared lips fiercely connected with Batman's. His need and passion pouring into the kiss, hands no longer trying to hit Batman but roam over his body. 

Batman didn't hesitate to start kissing back, so high off of the adrenaline from fighting that he didn't even think about what he was doing. All that he knew in that moment was the feel of the lips joined to his, sparks of passion coursing through him. They had both stilled and were so focused on the spur of the moment kiss that they completely forgot that they were fighting in the first place. But, as quickly as it had started, it had ended.  

Batman abruptly pulled back, heart rate soaring and short of breath as he stared up into emerald green eyes. For the first time since he had known Joker, he saw fear in his eyes.

Joker was afraid, afraid that his impulsive actions would cause things to change between them, that their dynamic would shift in the wake of this one moment of vulnerability and weakness. 

Joke was right to think that things wouldn't be the same again between them.

Batman reconnected their lips.


	2. Just shut up and kiss me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know- I'm so sorry for the really long wait. I had the first half of this chapter written for a while but due to loads of personal stuff happening I didn't end up getting it finished until now. The wait for the next chapter definitely won't be as long. I hope you all enjoy enjoy!

Harley jumped as the door to the hideout was harshly flung open, a rain-soaked Joker angrily stomping through the doorway. He strode right past her and straight into his makeshift office, slamming the door behind him. Harley watched on helplessly, wanting nothing more than to go up to him and ask what was wrong, but knowing that doing so would result in his anger being directed at her. 

She remained where she was sat on the couch, contemplating what to do, when the object of her turmoil stormed out of his office and in her direction.

"What? You're not going to ask me what's wrong?" Joker towered over Harley, an accusatory glare settled on his face.

Harley was stunned, not expecting the sudden attention directed at her.

"I-I uh, you told me not to do that puddin'... I was just trying to respect your privacy, didn't want to make ya more mad." 

"Oh really! Every other time I've walked into my office without talking to you, you follow me like a lost puppy, but today you've had a sudden change of heart?" 

Joker's livid tone heightened Harley's anxiety, her confusion increasing.

"D... Did you want me to follow you Mistah J?" Harley asked timidly, not sure what she'd done to further upset Joker.

"No! Of course not! I've told you so many times to leave me alone unless I ask for you." 

"I... Uh... I'm confused puddin', what did you want me to do?" Harley nervously fiddled with  the frills of her dress, not sure how to deescalate the situation.

"I don't want you to do anything! The point is that you're not behaving like you usually do. God, why is everyone acting so out of character tonight!" Joker ranted loudly, before marching back into his office, irritation radiating from his being.

Harley's psychologist brain worked overtime trying to make sense of Joker, but it was no use; sometimes in his fits of rage he just didn't make any sense. She was used to it, being the target of his anger for no particular reason- it didn't make it any easier though. 

Even when she knew rationally that it wasn't her fault, she couldn't help but feel like it was. She was just trying to be considerate, Harley knew how much Joker hated her pinning after him. She thought if she backed off she'd avoid an argument, but it seemed that no matter what she said or did he was always angry at her.

Harley got up, brushed herself off, and strode over to Joker's office. She couldn't do much to help him, but if he needed someone to take out his frustrations on then she could at least be that someone. 

Putting on a brave face, she walked inside, not bothering to knock- he wouldn't answer anyway. 

Joker was sat in the large chair behind his desk, head in his hands. He slumped forward further, hands tugging at his hair as he let out an irritated growl.

Harley instinctively gulped, unease washing over her as she walked further into the room. 

"Puddin'... Um, did you need me to do anything?"

Joker glared up at the harlequin girl, well aware of what she was trying to do. 

"You're playing a dangerous game Harley, deliberately trying to provoke me in an effort to get me to distract myself isn't going to achieve anything other than you ending up with a broken arm."

Looking at his face, Harley noticed the bruises and cuts littering it. Her blood began to boil at the thought of Batman hurting her beloved. 

"Was it something to do with Batman? Did he hurt you? If he hurt you puddin' we can-"

"JUST GET OUT!" Joker screamed in Harley's face, he was in no mood to deal with Harley and her misplaced concern for him. 

Harley flinched at the harsh volume, timidly making her way out of his office. 

After the door clicked shut, Joker let out a long sigh. He gazed halfheartedly at the various pages of plans and nonsense scribbles littering his desk. He couldn't focus on anything at that moment, his mind too preoccupied with what had previously happened...

_____________________________________

Batman reconnected their lips.

Joker was shocked at first, too shocked to kiss back even, his mind like static with one thought repeating itself over and over:

This is really happening... This is actually happening...

Batman is kissing me.

He was too overwhelmed in that one moment, this was all he'd ever wanted and yet all he could do was lay there. 

Batman noticed how still Joker was and immediately stopped kissing him, anxiety flooding his mind. Joker's unresponsiveness had made him begin to regret what he'd done, realising only then how big of a mistake he'd made.

For once they were experiencing the same emotions together; anxiety and regret. 

Batman regretting kissing him, Joker regretting not kissing back.

Joker sensed the change in Batman immediately, knowing that he'd missed his opportunity as Batman had realised by then just what he was doing. The passion that was clouding Batman's brain was thinning out and being replaced with cold analytical thinking, and his analysis of the situation was that he needed to leave right now.

The tension between them was thick and hot and way too much to cope with, so Batman fled, jumping off of the rooftop and disappearing into the night, leaving Joker and the mess of their encounter behind.

Joker just laid there for a while, still unable to process what had just occurred. All he knew in that moment was that he'd made his biggest mistake yet, and he wanted to laugh, he normally did in situations like this, but in that moment he couldn't find a single part of it funny.

_____________________________________

Joker gave a frustrated scream and flung his paper work off his desk, the paper billowing around the room and landing in a haphazard heap over the floor. 

It wasn't enough, he needed more... He needed to break something. 

Joker began tearing the room apart, throwing and smashing anything he could get his hands on.

Harley flinched from the other room as she heard the sounds coming from Joker's 'office'. She knew better by now than to go in there and try to console him, he was way past the point of no return now and she didn't doubt that in his aimless rage he'd try to kill her... Again. 

After an eternity of breaking and breaking and breaking everything until there wasn't anything left to break, Joker came to a stop, struggling to catch his breath as he looked around the destroyed room, not feeling anywhere near as satisfied as he wanted to. 

He slid down the nearest wall and put his head in his hands. He had ruined it. After years of endless games with Batman, after years of build up and anticipation and tension he'd finally got what he most desired and he ruined it.

He knew that him and Batman were meant to be together, it was fact- they completed each other. And whether together meant as enemies or lovers Joker didn't care, as long as they were together. But never in a million years would he have dreamed of Batman actually kissing him. And never in a million years would he have thought his response in that moment would be to freeze up completely and have his mind shut off from his body.

He'd fantasied about it so many times, about how it would go, about how it would feel. He'd imagined that very scenario, fighting atop a rooftop in the rain and then the fighting turning into kissing, and then more. 

Now he'll never know what would have happened if things had continued, all because his stupid brain had betrayed him at the most crucial moment. 

He let out another frustrated scream, head in hands, he continued to scream and scream until the screaming began to morph into laughter, endless toneless laughter that filled the room to the point where it was suffocating. Tears were streaming down his face as he continued to laugh and laugh and keep on laughing until eventually no more sound would come out. 

He'd snapped.

His whole persona had changed, and it felt vaguely similar to a time before where he remembered falling and darkness and the bite of acid on his skin. 

He immediately felt lighter, like the weight of the world was behind him, like not even gravity could keep him glued to the floor. His mind giddy and empty as he felt like he was on cloud nine.

He was free again. For a moment he had lost himself, lost himself to the fear and anxiety and turmoil that came with loving someone. But now his heart was cold and dead like it used to be and he could think clearly again. 

He smiled, his brain began to buzz with thoughts as he started to concoct a new scheme, one that would burn the city to the ground once and for all, with Batman in it. 

He was finally ready to end the game between them. Things had shifted now and there was no going back, the calm coolness that filled his head meant that he couldn't care less about anything, including Batman. He hadn't felt this free, this charged with life and electricity in a long time.

Feeling small giggles bubbling up at the back of his throat, he grabbed the nearest sheet of paper and a half broken pen, beginning to scribble down his plans as quickly as he could as he shook with manic energy, giggles begging to slip past his lips.  
_________________________________  
Bruce sighed as he came in from another night of patrol, sitting down at his computer in the Batcave. It had been a successful night, he'd stopped two big robberies and had managed to find Two Face and put him back in Arkham, yet he couldn't have felt more dissatisfied and underwhelmed. 

Nothing he had done in the past few weeks had been fulfilling, and he had grown more frustrated with each passing day. Growing more violent when taking down of the criminals of Gotham, and growing more distant and cold to his already estranged family. He couldn't even put on his Bruce Wayne mask anymore, he'd tried but he felt suffocated, more so than usual, and he couldn't bear it any longer. He couldn't pretended to be Bruce Wayne billionaire playboy when all his thoughts kept travelling back to the same one moment that was causing him all this grief.

The kiss with Joker. 

He couldn't get it out his mind no matter how hard he tried. It was eating away at him, taking over his brain so it was all he saw when closed his eyes and all he thought about when they were open.

He was repulsed. Not with the kiss itself but with how easy it was for him to kiss Joker, how right it felt in the moment. How could he have such an attraction to someone who kills people? And Joker wasn't just any killer, he was psychotic. He was manipulative and calculating yet also so chaotic and wild. He was the worst kind of storm that Bruce was stuck at the centre of. He knew everything the madman did was for him, in some twisted way or another. It was like the more he tried to stop him the more he fuelled his flames. 

He had always known that Joker's interest in him went deeper than just an enemy wanting to get under his skin. He knew his flirtations weren't just to annoy him, but he didn't want to admit it. He didn't think he'd ever have to. Despite all his suggestiveness Joker had never tried to act on his romantic desires, so whilst it stayed as mere suggestion he could always convince himself it wasn't real, even if some part of him deep down knew that it was.

That was until everything had been flipped upside down, all because of one kiss in the heat of the moment. One brief moment of truce between them from all of the pain and violence where they could both just be.

Bruce knew he had wanted it too, despite his best efforts to deny it he wasn't delusional, and he couldn't pretend that he didn't try to kiss Joker again after the first time.

But just because he recognised his desires, it didn't mean that he wanted to act on them or that he wasn't repulsed by them. He was caught off guard before but he wasn't going to let it happen again, the next time he saw Joker he'd make sure that things between them stayed the same as they've always been, nothing more. 

That's if he could find him. As much as the thought of seeing him again made his stomach turn, Bruce knew he needed to find him and get him back to Arkham as soon as possible so he could put all this to bed. 

He was hoping that after Joker was locked up again his mind would be more at ease, and he could stop thinking about that dammed kiss. 

His bleary eyes scrolled through the information on his computer screen, he doubted he'd find any information on Joker's whereabouts this way but there wasn't much else he could do, there had been no sight of him since the last time he had seen him. Which wasn't a good sign, it had been a few weeks since their last encounter and Joker not making himself known again in that time could only mean he was planning something big. 

Bruce was tired, he'd barely been sleeping. His sleep schedule was poor at the best of times but right now it was practically nonexistent. He couldn't focus on anything other than Joker and finding him, otherwise he'd focus on Joker and... Kissing him. He didn't want to think about that.

Bruce was so engrossed in thought he didn't even hear Alfred come down to the cave, his reflexes were slipping. 

"Master Bruce, I know my concern is of little important to you and your determination to find Joker, but might I suggest you take a break, perhaps actually get more than two hours of sleep. You're no use to anyone as Batman if you're not taking care of yourself properly."

Bruce sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He knew Alfred meant well but he just didn't understand, no one did. It's not like he could tell anyone else about what had happened, he didn't want to know what they'd think of him. Once Joker was caught and behind bars again Bruce would be back to his old self, but right now rest was the last thing on his mind.

"Alfred, I appreciate the sentiment but I'm fine, this case needs more of my time and energy than anything else at the moment but once it's over I can focus on other things again. Right now I need to crack down and continue to work on finding him." Bruce looked to Alfred as he spoke, hoping to reassure him, but the concern in his eyes hadn't dwindled.

"Bruce... I fear this thing with Joker is becoming more of an obsession than a productive use of your time, I'm not the only one who's worried about you and-"

"No one has any reason to worry about me."

Alfred sighed now, knowing that he wasn't going to get anywhere with his charge. When Bruce made up his mind about something that was that, there was no convincing him otherwise.

"Master Bruce if I can't convince you to take a break will you at least eat something? I've made dinner and it would be a shame to let it go to waste."

Bruce gave him a small smile, begrudgingly agreeing to have some food and then get straight back to work. He didn't want to make Alfred worry but right now he had bigger things on his mind, his number one priority was finding Joker.  
________________________________  
The next night he had a big lead on Joker's whereabouts, Harley Quinn had been reported seen robbing a jewellery store, and where there was Harley, there was Joker. 

Batman managed to find her making her escape from the jewellery store before any police got there, ducking into an alleyway near the scene of the crime.

He of course followed her, but when he found her in the alleyway she seemed to have been expecting him, and her demeanour was very off. She wasn't her normal self at all, she was lacking her usual vigour and appeared very on edge.

She looked dishevelled, anxiously running her fingers through her messy her. Another thing Batman noticed upon first look at her was a large scarlet bruise on her cheek. Something was definitely wrong.

"B-man." She greeted, curt and lacking any enthusiasm.

"Harley, where is Joker?" Batman tried to get straight to the point, if she knew where he was then he wasn't going to waste any time finding it out. 

"He isn't with me, I'm here to see you, on my own."

"Why?"

Harley sighed, looking to the floor and seeming significantly more uncomfortable. 

"Mistah J he's... He's been acting different, he's just not himself, ya know? Since the last time you two had a fight he's been like this, I'm worried about him, and I wanna know whatcha did to make him so upset." Her tone turned accusatory towards the end, eyes narrowing as she glared up at Batman, clearly suspicious of him.

"However he's acting, it has nothing to do with me."

She glared at him again and then turned away, anxiously biting her lip and fiddling with the frills of her dress.

"Look, I don't know what's gone on between you two but whatever it is it's affecting Mistah J. He's been so cold and distant lately, sometimes he has these moods but they never normally last longer than a few days tops, this has been going on since ya last fought. And-and... He's planning something, something big. I got a glimpse of his plans, most of it's gibberish, well to me anyway... But I think he's taking it too far this time, he's obsessed- more than usual, locking himself away to work on his plans nonstop. I don't know what to do, he won't let me help him." 

Harley seemed genuinely worried, but she was a good actress, and even if her concern was genuine her feelings for Joker were very misplaced, in her eyes he could do no wrong. Harley worrying about Joker's mood changing wasn't a top concern for Batman.

"Even if I was to believe your concerns, Joker is unpredictable and so are his moods, you being worried about him isn't a priority for me. Just tell me where he is Harley or don't bother continuing to waste my time."

She glared at him again, her anger evident. "I'm serious, something's up with him and I know you're the cause of it, I'm worried about him but I'm not just gonna tell ya where he's hiding out so you can beat him up and take him to Arkham again."

"If you're not going to tell me where he is then why bother talking to me about him in the first place?" Batman's patience was wearing thin, he didn't have time for Harley and her feelings for Joker, he just needed to find him.

Harley sighed again, seeming very reluctant to have to bring Batman into things, but she was desperate, and at that moment she felt that she was really running out of options. The last time she had tried to speak to Joker it had only been a narrow escape from him killing her, she didn't want to have to go through that a second time. 

"I'll tell you B-man, but if you hurt him again then I'll hurt you. I mean it." Harley's tone has turned very serious now, making it clear she meant what she said. 

Batman waited, and after Harley reluctantly gave him Joker's location he wasted no time in leaving her to go find him, wondering now what state he was going to find the clown in.  
________________________________  
Joker poured over his latest addition to his plans, a smug satisfaction washing over him. This was going to be it, this was finally going to be the scheme that could once and for all bring the Bat and the whole city to their knees. Joker laughed, making himself giddy just thinking about it. As he turned around to pin the new pieces of paper to his wall his smile instantly dropped from his face.

There, by the window, stood Batman, a large grimace on his face. 

Joker looked terrible. His hair was unwashed, his clothes were unkempt, his face was hollow and his eyes sunken- a clear indication of a lack of eating and sleeping. He was jittery and had a strange, manic energy about him. Batman had seen him like this before, usually after a longer stay in Arkham when he started to get restless. But this was different, this was extreme, even for Joker. 

Joker regained his composure almost immediately, a cruel smile gracing his lips as he began to laugh. 

"Why hello Bats, I must say I wasn't expecting you this early. I'm afraid my plans aren't ready yet, come back in a week or so and we can go from there. I must say though, I am intrigued as to how you found me."

"Harley told me where you were. She was worried." Batman tried to remain stoic, but a bad feeling was creeping up his spine at the situation, Joker seemed eerie like this, supernatural almost with his ghost like skin without any makeup on.

Joker let out a cackling laugh that filled the room with the shrill uneven sound. He seemed unhinged, more than usual. There was no flirtation, no looks of admiration, just madness. Pure, manic madness. It made Batman's blood run cold. 

"She should really learn to stick her nose out of my business, I'll have to reaffirm that lesson with her when she gets back."

"You're not going to be here when she gets back Joker, I'm taking you back to Arkham with me now."

Joker laughed again and then abruptly stopped, his tone going dark and serious as he spoke.

"You can try to drag me back there Bats, but you won't succeed."

Suddenly he pulled a knife from his coat pocket and the smirk reappeared on his face, his eyes daring Batman to take a step towards him.

Batman considered the madman in front of him. Harley was right, something was definitely off with him, more than usual, and he had a feeling he knew why. Taking a deep breath he cautiously began to speak, not wanting to set the clown off.

"Joker, if this is about the kiss-"

Joker came at him with the knife, quick as lightening and movements slick like a serpent, he managed to slash Batman a few times before Batman managed to grab ahold of his bony wrist and pluck the knife from his hand. The fighting then turned to fists but despite his energy fulled by mania, Joker was still sleep deprived and malnourished from a lack of eating so Batman managed to overpower him quite easily. However he was still relentless, not giving in and trying to hurt Batman in any way he could.

In that moment Batman came to a realisation about Joker. He could see that right now he wasn't well, and that what had happened between them had definitely affected him like Harley had said. He didn't see a murderous psychopath but a man that was disconnected from reality. 

Despite his previous reservations about ever kissing Joker again, he did in that moment the only thing he thought to do to pull Joker out of this state and back to reality. 

He kissed him.

It wasn't as heated and passionate as the first time they kissed, but soft and tender almost. Batman didn't want to push Joker's boundaries too much, this could all still go very wrong. 

But although Joker wasn't reciprocating, he wasn't pulling away either. He remained still, almost in a trance like state.

Eventually, after what began to feel like an eternity for Batman, Joker began to move his lips back against his. It started off slow, Batman moving his arm to put it around the back of Joker's neck and pull him in further. The kiss began to get more heated, but it remained at the same slow, sensual pace. Batman's mind was numb, focussing on nothing else in that moment but the feel of Joker's lips against his.

They stayed kissing like this for a while, until Batman touched a hand to Joker's cheek and realised he was silently crying. He pulled away and opened his eyes. 

"Are you okay?" It was the first thing that came to his mind to say, saying the words softly in almost a whisper. It was a foreign feeling for him- feeling concern for the man in front of him, but after what had just happened he tried not to question his feelings too much, for now at least. His anxiety began to grow though as Joker didn't answer, his stare intense and fierce. 

The anxiety dissipated though when Joker smiled, not a cruel smile like before but his normal flirtatious smile, one that Batman was used to.

"Just shut up and kiss me again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked this chapter, please feel free to leave comments letting me know what you though. Thanks for reading!


End file.
